The Law of Magnetism
by Mad Maruri Tigerfox
Summary: It really is just like they say... Opposites do attract. ON HIATUS!
1. Out on the Stage

**_SPOILER WARNING IF YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THE SHABONDY ARC!!!_**

**_NOTE TO FLAMERS:_ **Anonymous reviews will be deleted and not taken into account and if you have an account and you flame, the abuse button will be pressed. I do not put up with that crap because flamers are not tolerated by me. So if you don't like my story then get the f--- out of here and go read something else because you and your opinions do not matter to me.

Now, onto the first chapter~.

* * *

_"What a wonderful sounding voice…"_

_"She's so beautiful…"_

_"Lord, what I wouldn't do to have her on my ship…"_

_"Please. She wouldn't leave this place even if you offered her as much money as Captain Kidd's bounty…"_

_Things I hear every night here at this eatery, called the "Balance of Powers". Why had it been named that, you ask? Because of it's long gone owner who made this fine establishment to be a place where pirates who were here to stock up for their adventure into the New World, Marines who were here to make sure nothing bad happened while everything was going on, and anyone else who wanted a place to relax and listen to live music to come in and not have to worry about being attacked or arrested or anything like that. Everyone in here had equal status and that's how it's always been since I came here and started to perform three tim–_

"Kali!" screamed one of my managers from outside of my room, "You're up soon!"

"Alright!" I screamed back. I looked back at the journal in front of me and saw the deep, dark mark of where my pencil had skidded to a stop on the page. It was an extremely ugly looking streak and I growled lightly. "God damn it…" I hissed.

She had done it again. She caused me to screw up my writing yet again. I was beginning to get quite fed up Aki lately. Actually, in all honesty, I was beginning to get fed up with every aspect of my life. I craved something new. Something different and exciting! And most of all, someone I could talk to that could keep me interested and would be able to make me laugh… That's what I needed.

Maybe I could become a pirate of some sort. One that wouldn't really be going after the legendary treasure, One Piece, but one that would just sail the sea without a care in the world. I guess that wouldn't really be considered a pirate… I would just be a drifter pretty much, but then again, I could become a part of a crew! Yeah! That sounded pretty nice. A crew that had already been created! But… that's easier said than done. No current pirate crew here would like an inexperienced young girl like me to be one of their crew when they've come this far.

"Oh well…" I sighed while pushing the chair behind me back as I stood up, closed my journal, and headed over to my closet to pick out the outfit I wanted to wear. A small amount of depression and yearning welled up in my stomach. "It is just a far off dream for someone like me."

I pulled out a set of clothes that had been fashionably paired together, quickly stripped off the casual black and white pin striped trousers and simple, form fitting, plain white tee-shirt I was wearing currently, and slipped the new look on like a glove along with the shoes. Running my hand through my loose, shoulder blade length, auburn hair, I examined my newest exterior in the tall, wall mirror that was opposite of me.

A flowing, silk, white top with ruffled sleeves and edges that exaggerated the curves of my upper body to the point where if I went strolling through any part of this place, I would surely attract the attention of any male, especially one of the Nobles, and cause them to practically lose their minds over me. The shining, golden skirt that hung loosely around my waist was one that felt very short to me, but luckily I had a pair of stretchy black capris like pants that reached to above my knees on hand to be worn under it for a more comfortable feel. And the gold, black and white shoes that seemed to be a mix between dress shoes and casual shoes went quite well with the whole attire. Aki had done well on this one.

"Yeah," I said to myself as I stood there, twisting and twirling my body around while watching the skirt follow with fluid, feminine movements, "This is a good one, Aki."

"You're up, Kali!"

With a heavy breath, I exited my domain and headed out towards the small stage where I would perform. The sound of hooting, hollering, clapping, and all around cheerful noises echoed through out the building and I began to get a large smile as I came up on the one who screwed me up on my writing.

Aki, the current manager of this place who had bobbed red hair and bright glimmering blue eyes, was dressed in her usual, button down, long, but rolled up sleeve shirt with the black vest strapped and buttoned near the bottom over it, her black slacks, and shiny black, high heeled shoes. Her head turned to me as an announcer's voice started to come over the speaker's interrupting her.

"Ka–"

"And up next! We have a special treat for you!" the voice bellowed, rattling the support beams of the building. I looked towards the curtains and saw a full house; every seat filled with at least one person, and then looked back to my red haired employer. Her eyes had sunk to the floor in slight upset it seemed. My eye brow cocked upwards as I stared at her and listened to the voice as it continued. "As our ending, our best singer is going to be performing with one of the Supernovas of this island…!" My eyes widened as the air filled with dead silence. "THE ROAR OF THE SEA! Scratchmen Apoo!"

I froze and my eyes begged my friend in front of me that I had heard wrong, but her head shook "no". How?! Why?! Why would a Supernova want to perform with me? Especially one who was as musically talented as Scratchmen since his devil fruit gave him a very odd ability. This just couldn't be true… It couldn't be. I had to be imagining it all.

"You have to go," Aki whispered in a hushed tone so she wouldn't disturb the overly sensitive microphones that stood out on the stage, waiting for someone's voice to send their sound through it. Her eyes shimmered with apology about the fact that she wasn't able to tell me first, but she nudged her head in a signal that I needed to get out there.

My teeth clenched in nervousness. I hadn't been nervous since my first time on stage and now was the time that I chose to be afraid to go out there and face my audience?!

'NO!' I screamed inwardly, mentally punching myself for feeling like that, 'I am going out there and showing that I'm good enough to be on the same stage as him!'

Sucking in a large breath through my nose, I stepped confidently through the lengthy, red curtains and I was almost shoved back by the loud roar that came blasting from the area in front of me. Every seat was full. Actually, it was so full that some of the spectators had to stand around the outer edge of the seated individuals and to my amazement; every other Supernova, except the two Strawhat crew members, was here in the room and quite to my surprise, my heart started to pound. How scary this all felt. My mind and state of mind started to drift from where I was and the feeling of being light headed began to settle in… then the sound of someone clearing their throat drew me back fast.

"Shall we get started?" asked the sixth highest bounty captain as he looked at me. I gulped as I stared at him. His arm had been transformed into that of a clarinet and not to mention, his teeth looked like piano keys as he looked right back with an innocent face and a smile that fit him. "Well?" he pressed while bringing his left arm up and putting the middle and index finger in between his lips.

I smiled slightly, getting a much better sensation from him than I had thought I would and gave an affirmative nod while turning back to the crowd before me. The microphone buzzed slightly as I approached it and the announcer came back over the intercom one last time, only his voice was much more hushed.

"Thanks to one of our other employees hearing this particular song being sung by a passerby earlier today, we wanted it to be sung here for the first time by our very own Kali. We hope you enjoy and please have a good night."

My face brightened incredibly as the sound of his foot tapping to a beat reached my ear drums.

'I'm going to make this show count towards something. Whatever that something is, I do not know, but it is going to be for something…!'

And as the beat kept on alone for about another four counts, he began to play a wonderful tune, starting out at a very slow pace, but gradually speeding it up at a steady rate, and it was extremely familiar to me. I had heard it many times before from different people in different styles with different instruments, but the name escaped me. Then again… Did I really even know this song? Was I even sure I had actually heard it before? All I really knew was that I was hesitating to sing along, but it was the first time I had ever gone out without knowing what exactly would be coming from my mouth and then something struck me into realizing just what was being played. That one certain chord rang from the "instrument" Apoo was playing and surrounded the space around me. The one chord that was my que to come in and the lyrics came flooding to the front of my mind. What a seriously wondrous song and I get the privilege of singing it.

_Yohohoho, Yohohoho_

_Yohohoho, Yohohoho_

_Yohohoho, Yohohoho_

_Yohohoho, Yohohoho_

Taking the octave above the normal melody, I began…

_Binkusu no sake wo_

_Todoke ni yuku yo_

_Umikase kimakase namimakase_

_Shio no mukou de_

_Yuuhi mo sawagu_

_Sora nya wa wo kaku_

_Tori no uta_

_Sayonara minato _

_Tsumigi no sato yo_

_DON to icchou utao_

_Funade no uta_

_Kinpa-ginpa mo shibuki kaete_

_Oretachya yuku zo_

_Umi no kagiri_

Ah… an instrumental break. Good, that was a lot of words to sing and my lips felt a bit tired, but I did want to carry on. The music had gotten to a tempo that was much faster than most of the ones that I had heard before and all of the audience were silent. You probably could have heard a cricket if Scratchmen wasn't playing and when I looked over to him to see when my next entrance was, his right eye opened from its previous shut position and he motioned with his head for me to come over to where he was and to do it quickly. I did as he instructed, pulled the microphone off its stand, and went over to his side. Just in time too.

_Binkusu no sake wo_

_Todoke ni yuku yo_

_Warera kaizoku_

_Umi watteku_

_Nami wo makura ni_

_Negura wa fune yo_

_Ho ni hata ni ketateru wa dokuro_

_Arashi ga kita zo_

_Senri no sora ni_

_Nami ga odoru yo_

_DORAMU narase_

_Okubyoukaze ni fukakerya saigo_

_Asu no asahi ga nai ja nashi_

_Yohohoho, Yohohoho_

_Yohohoho, Yohohoho_

_Yohohoho, Yohohoho_

_Yohohoho, Yohohoho_

Then the music started to slow and dim to the point that I was almost singing acappella, but for once I wasn't afraid of it.

_Binkusu no sake wo_

_Todoke ni yuku yo_

_Kyou ka asu ka to yoi no yume_

_Te wo furu kage ni_

_Mou aenai yo_

_Nani wo kuyokuyo_

_Asu mo tsukuyo…_

And then again, back up to speed.

_Binkusu no sake wo_

_Todoke ni yuku yo_

_DON to icchou utao_

_Unaba no uta_

_Douse dare demo itsuka wa hone yo_

_Hatenashi_

_Atenashi_

_Waraibanashi_

_Yohohoho, Yohohoho_

_Yohohoho, Yohohoho_

_Yohohoho, Yohohoho_

_Yohohoho, Yohohoho!_

As the last syllable came across my lips, my head turned to the cursed, yet musically blessed man beside me as the fingering on his "clarinet" slowed for the ending of "Bink's Sake". His rendition of the song was nostalgic like most of the versions that I've heard, but somehow upbeat at the same time.

Just as the music stopped and his double jointed arms returned to their normal uniqueness, a sea of applause and recognition rolled its way up to the stage and bashed straight into the both of us. A wide smile was spread over my features while I laughed in reply to the whole thing. Never had I heard such an energized reaction from the people who came here!

I bowed, accepting the praising that was practically being flung at me and though the wall of auburn hair that had fell in front of my face, I watched as Scratchmen gave a nod of acceptance as well, his eyes shut and a "small" smile that showed a more of his piano key like teeth, but there wasn't much more time to look at every detail of his fascinating physical appearance before the feeling of five digits wrapping around my wrist, obviously Aki's, and tug on me telling me return and of course, I did as I was told.

"Goodness gracious, Kali!" she said, her thin lips slurring the words together as she spoke at a very fast rate, "That was simply amazing! You were wonderfuuu… Ah!" She straightened up suddenly, her entire frame standing in an alert stance with her hands clutching a glass of water with a shaky grip. "H-He-Hello, Apoo-san," she greeted with a stutter.

I couldn't help, but give a small chuckle at her being so intimidated. Even though she was quite the independent and tough woman, when someone who she knew was incredibly stronger than herself came into her presence, she became very unsure of her own abilities, but I couldn't be worried about her and the possible fact that she could faint at any moment at this point since the man had clearly come back here to talk to me. As I turned around, I gave a wide grin and set my hands on my hips.

"I cannot tell you how incredible that was!" I mused.

"Thank you," he said back, giving me a smile in return. His teeth really were something to see. "But I should be saying that it was incredible to have performed with you." My eyes widened a bit as I heard him praise me back. I hadn't been expecting to get praise from a Supernova for anything. "Never have I heard anyone sing that song like you had. It truly was ama–"

"Captain!" rang out the voice of one of his crew members. Amazing that we could hear it since the sound of stomping feet was very loud from the crowd leaving. "We need to get out of here before _you know who _gets irritated by your presence again!"

He looked through the small opening of the curtains, nodded to him, and then returned his gaze back to me.

"It truly was amazing," he finished before taking a very quick leave.

My face was completely blank as I turned back around to my friend who was still in a slight state of shock. I was just told that performing with ME was incredible… Performing with me! That had my insides knotting and tightening up with excitement and utter happiness as I beamed Aki a gigantic tooth filled grin.

Hopefully this will be the start of something interesting…


	2. What An Ordeal

_Key: "..." = time passes by_

* * *

_A day off… Finally. I've needed this for a while now, but the bad thing is… I don't know what to do! I'm usually always packed when it comes to my normal schedule and today… I have absolutely NOTHING to do… I'm not quite sure if there's anything to do on this is–_

_!BANG!_

"Holy mother of God!"

A large cloud of smoke, dust, and debris came rushing out from the nearby building that, unfortunately, I was walking by. The smoky "fog" engulfed me, my entire line of sight, and knocked my pencil and journal right out of my hand.

"What, a fight?!" yelled out one of the passer byes that had been there as well.

A fight?! Are you serious? I didn't want to be caught in a confrontation of any kind. Especially one that had started out with the wall of a building being blown out! But what could I do at this point? I couldn't see for the dust cloud that had been brought up from the blast and I wasn't exactly able to breathe without taking in a hand full of busted up brick into my lungs. There seriously wasn't much more I could do than just sit there patiently and wait for something to happen…

"If you want a fight, let's wait until we get to the other side of the wall," advised an extremely familiar voice from outside of the dark cloud. From the small sliver of vision I had, light became noticeable as well as the speaker and my eyes opened as much as they could even though many grains of minuscule rock had worked their way onto the surface of them. "Don't you know how strong we are?"

'Apoo?!' I questioned inwardly while sitting oddly on the ground with my mouth slack jawed slightly. If Apoo was apart of this, then that meant… this was a Supernova fight!

"If that's so, stop staring at me," came a rough voice from where the gaping hole was. My eyes then widened excessively as the large, broad shouldered, spiky red haired man stomped out of the opening with a homicidal smile while he pulled out a dagger. Oh… This was going to be wonderful to witness up close. "You disgusting bastard," the red head hissed, still with that grin, "If you want, I can stop now."

I gulped heavily as I sat there, practically in the middle of them. My entire body was frozen as I gawked at the built man. He was dressed so incredibly weird with the large fur coat over his shoulders, the black with yellow spots of various sizes pants that reached slightly below his knees, and black painted nails. He was extremely intimidating in all honesty, but of course that could be the fact that he was the famous…

"Eustass Captain Kidd…" I muttered in the smallest voice I could do, hoping to God that I wouldn't bring his attention to me.

"Let's save this for the New World," Scratchmen suggested, though I never took my gaze away from the number one Supernova, "I would rather not cause any harm to this innocent civilian."

Suddenly Kidd's gaze snapped downwards to me, hitting me like the blade of the dagger that he was holding. A smile seemed to appear on his face as he watched my entire form tense. Never have I actually been worried about being around a captain before, but how could I not? He had caused so many civilian casualties. Not to mention, he slaughtered so many people all because they laughed at him! Who ever wouldn't had to either be ignorant or crazy beyond reason.

"Alright then," Eustass replied still with that smile while returning the weapon back into its sheath, "It's a good thing you don't, seeing she's a good source of entertainment."

With a cold sweat breaking out on my forehead, I swallowed hard and gave a small smile back while trying to regain my composure and get my frantic thoughts under control as he turned on the heel of his boot, heading back into the establishment.

"Here you are," said Scratchmen from beside me suddenly with his arm out stretched to me.

"Ah!" I screamed, jumping up onto my feet quickly. Clearly I was not prepared for anyone to be that close to me in that short of time, acting as if nothing had just happened and an amused look was upon his face while chuckling at my startled reaction.

He stood from his squatting position. The arms he possessed were incredibly fascinating to me since they had TWO elbows and were freakishly long. And still, one was stretched out, offering my journal and pencil back to me.

"These do belong to you, correct?" he asked with a sweet tone.

I took in a deep breath while nodding and taking the spiral back from him along with the pencil whose lead had been broken off. My heart sank as I stared at the now beat up cover and grass stained pages that had received some minor and major rips going through them. That was going to take quite some time to tape and fix up which was a very big downer and apparently he could tell that since one of his hands was set on my shoulder and squeezed lightly in reassurance.

"Don't worry, the journal should be fine," he told me as I looked up from my damaged book of thoughts and then a teasing grin showed itself on his features, "And that's why you don't walk and write." My eyes narrowed at his statement and a light hearted laugh shook his upper body. "Do be careful while walking around like that."

"What are you?" I asked while walking away with a playful expression, holding my "diary" of some sort to my chest protectively, "My mother?" Then it was my turn to laugh at facial distortion. It stumped me a bit seeing a Supernova actually care about my well being. Didn't make much sense really… but hey, if I actually make a friend out of him, then that's great! "Don't worry," I said, starting to turn the corner, "I'll be just fine!"

But little did I know that certain people were waiting for me to come into their path…

…

"Shit…" I cursed, "This is a whole different problem…"

How could I not have known this wasn't going to end up happening? I'm locked in a cell with one of these god damned collars latched around my neck just waiting to be sold to some weirdo who thinks I'm pretty and knows I'm an entertainer. This was just great and there was no way that I was going to be able to get in contact with Aki now... I was going to be auctioned up to whoever bid the highest on me.

"Wonderful…" I muttered, my voice echoing silently off of the walls.

The whole concrete room was dark, barely enough light to where you could at least see the outline of your hand. It was cold too and my outfit wasn't exactly made for cold temperatures and I started to shiver. Goosebumps formed all over my exposed appendages. Wrapping my arms around me, I did my best to keep myself insulated and warm, but I wasn't having much luck. The cold penetrated my attempted defenses.

This whole ordeal was a pain. I seriously did not want to be offered up. I have, or at least I think I do, much more dignity than that. I should have fought harder against those thugs who ambushed me earlier. If I had, I probably could have gotten away with barely a scratch on me, but then again… my frame isn't that of the muscular type. Being strong is not one of my known attributes.

"Don't worry, sweet heart," spoke the older man beside me with a reassuring voice, "You are sure to be bought by someone who will take care of you."

I looked over to this man who had sat there quietly, not saying one word since I had arrived. He really did look pretty old, which made me question why he, of all people, was here seeing him and his long white hair and beard with rounded glasses slipping down his nose and a kind smile graced his rugged, street looking features. He looked at me with soft eyes and suddenly I wondered why no one had taken advantage of such a kind man, but, as they say, looks are not what they always seem.

"What's your name?" he asked me, pulling out a small container of some kind of liquid and taking a swig, "You seem really familiar to me…"

"My name's Kali," I said back while bringing my legs up for more warmth, "I'm one of the singers from the Balance of Powers."

"Ah ha!" he exclaimed suddenly, bringing the attention of the two dimwitted guards who had already started walking this way, "I knew I recognized you!" A hesitant look came up onto my face while I gave an unsure laugh and his smile only got wider. "You caused a bit of an uproar with your version of Bink's Sake, Miss Kali. I would have loved to have been there to listen."

"Well… Thank you," I said while I heard the cell door open. I didn't think much of it, even though I saw them walking in my general direction. I mean, what were the chances that I'd be put out there on stage this soon into the auction. "Um… What is your name, by the wa–"

I was abruptly interrupted by the large hands of the two men and forcefully pulled to my feet. Right now, I had been chosen to be taken out on the stage and for a very strange reason, I was completely calm. No thoughts raced through my head. No impulses to fight back were triggered. I was utterly calm and willing to go along with them. All I seemed to want was to know what this man's name was and it appeared he knew that.

"People call me Ray-san," rang out his voice as I was being pulled away, "And don't you worry Kali. You'll be just fine! There's someone out there just waiting for you to come out on stage!"

I gave him a wide smile and hoped he knew what he was talking about.


	3. Bidders

"And here she is!" yelled out the auctioneer as I was being shoved out on to the stage, "We will start her price at 250,000 belli!"

I stumbled to get back my footing, the bright spot lights blinding me while the man grabbed the chain attached to my cuffs and pulled me over to his side. The feeling in the room had changed to one of interest and questioning from the previous one of boredom and really no interest at all. From what I could see, every seat in the auction house had someone in it. Oh, I really didn't want to be out here, but for some extremely odd reason I was calm and cooperative. I couldn't tell if it was because I had been on stage so many times that it just seemed like when I went out to sing, or if it was because of Ray-san…

"350,000!" exclaimed a deep, dumb sounding voice from out of the audience.

My heart practically stopped in fear as the auctioneer spoke the name…

"Saint Charlos!! Very wonderful! Is there anyone else?"

Oh God no! Not Charlos! Anyone, BUT him! He had 13 wives who he just threw away when he got bored of them and I did not want to have any part in his sick little fantasies! I know I have much more dignity than that!

'Please! Please, someone out bid him!' I begged to myself. My inner me was on her knees groveling for someone to help me, but my expression itself showed no signs of protest what so ever.

"No? No one else wants to bid on the main entertainer of the Balance of Powers?" asked the auctioneer, trying to see if he could make more money off of me.

"400,000," said a slightly familiar, rough voice in a casual tone.

Ears perking up to the new bidder, my eyes automatically went looking around for the person who had come up and challenged the Celestial Dragon for me. Wow… my dignity had to have dropped thanks to that, but I couldn't help not being happy to hear someone have the guts to do it! Though… I did hope that it would be someone who would let me return to my job as a singer.

"Ehehe…" laughed the man beside me hesitantly. He apparently wasn't ready for someone else to take up an offer on me. He gulped. "A-Are you sure… Eustass Kidd?"

That was when my entire face broke its straight, emotionless mask. Eyes wide, mouth agape as far as it could be, shoulders slumped over, and my arms hanging limply in front of me. CAPTAIN KIDD?! Eustass "Captain" Kidd was bidding on ME?!

"You heard me," he replied, showing himself as he waltzed up close to the stage front. His look was still intimidating, but he was much more attractive at this moment. I had no idea as to why he was but he was. Everything about him was in this light. His build, the coat, the gun and dagger strapped around his lower torso in an "X" shape, the goggles atop his head, and that clearly sadistic smile on his face. His face changed slightly as he saw that I kept staring at him in my dumbfounded way. "Take a picture. It'll last longer."

A bright blush flushed over my cheeks as my face heated up when he realized that I was gawking at him yet again, but he seemed somehow different from earlier when he and Apoo busted out the wall of that building. He didn't seem AS scary actually. Of course he was still scary, just not as much…

He turned to Charlos then, starting to get a satisfied smile on his face as he did. The Dragon's eyes narrowed from within the bubble that surrounded his head, but everyone knew that he wouldn't back down that easily.

"450,000," he replied quickly, holding up the number he had.

"Alright. Alright," Kidd muttered in an almost inaudible voice and held up his as well, "500,000."

On all the faces that I could see were expressions of amazement that someone would be raising the price on a "slave" that a Celestial Dragon was going after, especially the others that were with him like Shalulia who was holding onto his shoulders, telling him I wasn't worth that.

"Don't raise the price on her any more than that!" the blonde woman said, bringing his face to look at hers, "She really isn't worth that price."

My features scrunched up in a look of being offended. The hell I'm not worth that price! I'm worth much more than that… And that's when I knew my dignity went straight through the ground. I could not believe that I was thinking like that… Someone who did have it would never think that, or in my opinion they wouldn't, but how could I not? She had just practically said that I'm a piece of worthless trash! And that was seriously enraging, but Kidd had brought my attention back to him.

"So, are you going to bid further, or is she mine?" he asked while adjusting the coat on his shoulders.

"Fine then," Charlos huffed, not really wanting to give up on the battle for yours truly, but reluctantly let go of the whole thing, "She's yours. She really isn't worth that much."

Accidentally, I let a growl escape through my lips while standing on the stage and Eustass turned back to me and the auctioneer. A smug smile of satisfaction was on his face as he did.

"She belongs to me then," the Supernova said as he stared coldly at the auctioneer.

The chain to my cuffs lost all of its slack as the man tensed under Eustass's heavy gaze. Sweat started to pour from his forehead while nodding to him and handing the steel links over to one of his co-workers who pulled me along roughly back behind the curtains.

I had just been saved by one of the most unexpected people ever and he probably didn't even know it. He had no idea how much I owed him for this, but then came in a very bad predicament…

How was I going to pay him back for it?


	4. An Irresistible Offer

I'm starting to get really frustrated with this man…

Standing there with a slowly wearing away patient attitude, I begged for my journal back before I was released to my "master", but the large guard who wore that, in my opinion, hideous uniform of dark, navy blue, high rise pants with three lines of suspender like things, an accordion like neck piece, and a pink shirt and had taken it from me in the first place before the collar, which was still latched around my neck, and cuffs just kept asking "Why do you need it so bad?" and other things along that line, making my savior wait longer on me. How could he not notice how special it was to me? I had resorted to pleading for it to be returned to me! I would think that that would send some kind of awareness of it.

"Please," I whined, my voice filled with desperation and sprinkled with impatience. The definite thing that was causing me some bad stress with him was the fact that he was standing right in front of the locker that contained my spiral, "I seriously need my journal back…!"

"Just go on," he spat at me. I groaned while putting the palms of my hands to my forehead in an attempt to find a way to get him to hand it over. The coolness of them felt extremely refreshing to my skin that was being heated by my anger. Why wouldn't he just give me my journal?! That's all I wanted, but still, he wouldn't let up. "Get out there before you upset our cus–"

"Give her the journal… please," said a tenor voice in a polite tone from behind me.

The male in front of me probably lost his own soul for a few seconds since his skin paled beyond its normal pigment, but it had come back once he nodded and shakily turned back to the rectangular prism of a locker. While watching him struggle with opening the metal door because of the intimidating man behind me, I assumed that, since the person had come back here, they was apart of the "Kidd Pirates", but I did know for sure that it wasn't Eustass Kidd himself seeing that the dude before me didn't practically drop dead on the spot out of fear and that caused my curiosity to spike. As I turned to get a good look, I wondered if I would be able to recognize him and once I saw the member of the infamous crew, my jaw dropped open about half an inch.

His height was amazing and his look was a kind of undead, frightening one. The skin that covered him was more of a gray in this lighting than the tanned tint it most likely was, with the cheeks of his face sunken in slightly that had two identical, stitched up scars running under his eyes, and along with that, the mouth he possessed had thread going through both of his lips. The light blue colored hair that reached down to his lower back hid the three thorn covered whip like tattoos that wrapped around his neck and stretched down his arms. His look was much of one that struck the word "zombie" in me.

As I stood there with a completely blank face, one that I seemed to have been getting a lot lately, the guard held out the spiral, his arm trembling violently. I didn't react for the man standing a few inches away from me. Seeing someone like him was something scary, but cool and well… that's how I was staring.

"Thank you," the blue haired man said while taking the journal for me since I was too captivated in him. His dead eyes descended to me, his hand grabbed the chain links gently, and he tugged me along behind him. "Come. We mustn't keep Master Kidd waiting."

I hesitated to follow, but I had no choice since, once again, the chain lost all of its slack and I was forced to stay close to his side.

While walking carefully down a few stairs, we headed off into the main auditorium where another poor soul was being offered up and numbers were being raised left and right. The whole thing made me feel sick to my stomach. Watching people be sold off like cattle to these stuck up beings that weren't even worthy of being called human in my eyes made me realize how much I wanted to get off this island, to get away from things like this, but I knew I couldn't leave Aki or at least not yet anyways.

"Can you believe that Eustass got her?" came a whisper from one of the large benches on my left. My head turned to see who it was, but my eyes hadn't adjusted yet to the light…

"I know," another voice replied in a hushed voice as well, "It's a shame. She won't be allowed to go to her full potential. I would have loved to have her to sing whenever I wanted…"

"Then you should have bided…"

My eye twitched in irritation at the last statement I heard from the conversation. I really wasn't much more than a piece of meat to most of these people… I didn't really understand why anyone here put up with these… these… things that seemed to congregate here. I was lucky enough to live in a place on Shabondy where most of them didn't even dare go since we had a bit of a reputation of having "uncivilized" civilians. I have no idea where they had gotten that idea, though apparently my own reputation had exceeded my knowledge. I was known even around here and that was impressive.

"They wouldn't have won," the zombie like man told me, not looking back as we climbed up the flight of stairs leading to where the rest of his members were. My neck stretched as far as the metallic collar would let it, and I gave an expression of question as to why they wouldn't have won the bidding. "No one would have. My captain wasn't going to let go without a fight."

I blinked a bit cluelessly as we advanced. He wasn't going to let go without a fight? Why would that be? I didn't think I was something seriously special or anything like that… then the "leash" jerked forward suddenly, pulling me out of my questioning and sending me straight towards the steps below. Expecting to feel the edge of one of the steps implant into my cheek bone and the collar choking me around the neck, I tensed every muscle as much as I could to cushion the collision, but of course, someone was quick enough to keep me from getting those sources of pain.

"You should be more careful, Kali-chan," said a very smooth, obviously male voice. With my eyelids a bit hesitant to open, I went to look at the one who had me held securely in their grip, and a light blush went over my cheeks. "And since you're here now, let me say I enjoyed your performance last night."

"T-Thank you, L-L-Law," I replied with a bit of a stutter as he set me up right and he gave me a small smile and nod in return.

My heart was pounding hard in my chest as my leader and I walked on. Not only had I just plunged to a concrete floor, but another Supernova had introduced them self to me and there was also the fact that I was getting closer and closer to the person who had saved me from the eternal, or eternal in a way, life of being a slave, though for the rest of the way up, nothing had been said, nothing had happened, luckily, and everything went relatively smoothly.

"Kidd," said the voice of the seriously long blonde haired, mask wearing Killer who stood close to his captain, "seems your entertainer has been delivered."

The muscles in my neck tightened at how he had put my arrival and my eyes narrowed to a point of being very noticeable. Talking as if I wasn't actually able to hear, that pissed me off… but of course, since he's a Supernova, I don't dare to provoke him into chopping me up with those curved blades of his.

"Here she is, Master Kidd," said my leader as he offered the chain to his captain.

A wide, smug smile spread across Eustass's features as he took the links from him and easily pulled me closer to him. The cold metal of the collar pressed against the back of my neck as I got twisted up in my own legs and inevitably tripped, but I was able to catch myself before falling flat on my front side. The smile became wider as he watched me look up at him and send a slight glare.

"I'm assuming you're grateful for what I had done," he told me while hold the chain firmly in his grip.

Very abruptly, my entire attitude changed from one of being upset with the fact that he roughly brought me to him to one of total gratitude. I nodded my head rapidly with a grin of thanks plastered to my face. As I did, I started to think of how I could repay him. There wasn't much I really could give though… Money was seriously out of the question since I wasn't exactly paid a lot, but I had to find something…

"Of course I am!" I exclaimed suddenly with my hands laced together in front of my upper chest, "How could I not be! You saved me from having to deal with that bastard Charlos, or any bastard like him." As I spoke, his lips stretched further into exposing most of his teeth and of course, I had to ask him the question… "How can I ever repay you?!"

The look on his face altered and he looked to Killer, his first mate, and the both of them nodded.

"We have an idea," he said while bending down a bit. My forehead started to sweat lightly from him being so close and my blood pumped rapidly through all of my veins as I waited for him to continue. "Join us."

It stopped. It seriously had to have stopped. Not only had my heart had to have stopped in its cavity within my chest, but everything had to as well. The world around me, my bodily functions, everything. Had he seriously just said that I could join his crew? I mean, I know he had meant it as a way to pay him back for helping me, but had he seriously just said that?

"I… I…" What I really wanted to do was scream out "Hell yes! I'll join!", but the feeling of abandoning Aki and everyone else at the Balance of Powers fluttered in my stomach. I couldn't do it… not now, but OH! how I wanted to… "I can't do it…" I admitted with my head hanging, not really wanting to say that.

As I moved my gaze back up to the captain standing in front of me, Kidd and Killer looked to each other with expressions that had to be ones where they could convey what one was thinking without having to vocalize to the other, but before Eustass was able to reply, another widely known crew walked in through the auction house doors. The Strawhat crew with every single one of their members, minus Zoro the swordsman and Luffy the captain, but plus two odd characters who weren't apart of it, present and they didn't exactly seem very happy about having to be here. I went to say something to him, but Kidd gripped my shoulder, never taking his eyes off of them, and pulled me back to where I was out of the walkway and was somewhat in between him and the zombie like man.

"Boss," started the "undead" guy, "those guys are from the Strawhat Pirates."

"I don't see their captain though," Kidd replied, still not looking away, but he had a large grin on his face as he kept on, "I would have liked to see first-hand just how big an idiot he is."

'Oh god…' I moaned inwardly, knowing all too well that when you spoke of certain people, it was just a matter of time before they'd show up, 'This all is definitely going to have to go into my journal…'


	5. A Fight Scene

"500 million!" rang out Charlos's voice from his and the other Dragon's separate sitting area, "I'll bid 500 million beli!"

The entire mood of the auditorium had changed, just like when I had been brought out. Tension beyond your wildest dreams filled the air as the heads of many turned to look at one another or bow their heads in disappointment. Celestial Dragon, Charlos, had just bid 500 million beli on this poor young, female mermaid who had been rolled out in a spherical case only seconds ago. I was astonished at how high the price had gone, but my attention was taken from her to the orange haired navigator of the Strawhat crew when the sound of her number dropped to the floor below.

Her face was completely blank as she stared straight ahead at the merperson and not only was her face like that, but so were the rest of them. The voices of other people started to rise to my ears. They all pretty much said that same thing… "We can't compete with that…" and the navigator, Nami if I was correct, yelled out some question that I wasn't exactly able to hear or more like understand as I stood shielded from any kind of harm behind Kidd.

Everything stayed relatively quiet in the auditorium for a few seconds while everyone waited for Disco to say the bid was complete and the gavel he used slammed three times on the wooden podium.

"Time's up!" he said into the microphone.

More tension was thrown into the room as the Celestial Dragon sat up straighter than before which clearly showed he was satisfied with his win then Kidd's arms crossed as his head hung a bit with shut eyes and somehow a smile.

"It's like a metaphor for this screwed-up world... What a complete farce," he muttered to where all of his crew members, and me, could hear, "Let's get out of here." He pulled me along right beside him, amazingly being gentle with the chain and how hard he straightened it out, with the rest of his crew following.

"But…" I started while catching up to his arm to where I wouldn't choke from the lack of slack, "Why are we–"

"Then with that, the auction will end for today," Disco said from the stage, interrupting me from my question, though, even as loud as his voice was, there was an odd sound coming from outside.

It was a buzzing noise… like… something large was flying, but I wasn't quite sure that was what it was. The others I was with hadn't noticed it at all, but to me it was nothing except audible and it just kept getting louder and louder and louder until a scream that seemed more like a screech penetrated the walls and then I stopped moving, knowing something was about to happen and it would come straight through those doors. Eustass took immediate notice of my failure to follow obediently behind and stopped as well, but then he perked up to the noise that was approaching fast.

"What's that?" he asked, to no one in particular.

And as Disco started to bring his gavel down a second time, screamed out the word "Decided", and smacked the round piece of wood attached to the podium one of the known Flying Fish-Riders came busting through the doors and into a few rows of seats, sending many of the people flying to destinations unknown to me.

Just as the whole thing happened, I had rushed behind Kidd for cover from any kind of material that had been cut loose from the frame of the door and the wall. Having something from that lodged into my skin would not have been a very fun thing. Eustass looked behind at me and gave a small chuckle at my retreat from the danger that we all had just been put in and I stuck out my tongue. He could laugh at me all he wanted, but I was not going to risk my well-being when something came flying through a friggin' wall! Though it wasn't very long until I was informed of just who did it.

"That guy…" Kidd started as he took his eyes away from me and looked at where the landing site was, "Isn't that Strawhat Luffy?"

My back straightened up suddenly as I heard that name. I knew it! I SO knew it! From everything I've heard about him, you speak his name and it was like he'd show up sooner or later and cause a mess of trouble. I respected him of course seeing that all he's done seemed to be unimaginable, but I did not like the idea of being in the same building as him since there would be a high probability of him dragging me and the crew I "belonged" to into a huge problem.

"CAIME!" he screamed out of nowhere, breaking me from my thoughts and rushing down the steps toward the stage.

As I turned around, another pair of steps joined in with his and a scream suddenly pierced my ears, causing me to bring my hands up in the usual reflex to stop the sound from hurting me anymore as well as shutting my eyes in pain. Man, some of these "higher-up" people have got themselves a pair of lungs… And as the scream died down, I looked to where Luffy had run off and beheld a six armed man snapping his head around frantically as people yelled and screamed at him for being a "monster".

Holy crap! A merman! A serious merman was standing before me, or on the stairs before me, and a wide grin was up on my face in an instant as I examined him more, completely fascinated with his physical attributes. The six arms that protruded from his upper body had large suction cups going down them and his mouth was something other worldly as well, though I'm not quite sure how to describe it and seeing him was totally awesome to me, though I would rather have had my first time seeing one under different conditions, but hey, you take what you can get.

Everyone, not including the three crews here, was freaking out over the merman and as he stood there apparently unable to think of what to do next, a little starfish like creature ran up to him and hopped onto his shoulder while saying something that I couldn't understand at all. One and all were in a frenzy until out of nowhere…

!BANG!

Again, my hands went to my ears for protection from the loud sound as it reverberated off the walls. He had just been shot… He had to have been. A merperson on this island was pretty much asking for a death wish, unless you were being sold as a slave, and once you stepped foot on here, you were at risk of being found out and killed on the spot. Knowing that, or at least I assumed he knew that, this brave man was here and I respected him for that, but he was also beyond crazy for it.

While I watched the octopus merman tumble down the multiple steps of the stairs, my eyes softened and my heart ached as he came to a whole stop. He laid there limply, all of his extra appendages visible, and my tender heart had to have burst within my chest and not being able to stand the feeling that was over flowing in my rib cage, I started forward, totally forgetting about the collar. I felt that I couldn't just leave him lying there helpless and bleeding, but I was stopped.

A hand had been placed in my path to keep me from going anywhere and I looked up to the "monster" of a man beside me. His black nailed hand was out in front of me, just a few millimeters away from the upper part of my chest which made me a bit uncomfortable, that he had placed before me to where I would run into it and of course I did.

"Kidd…" I said in protest to the obstacle, "I can't just leave hi–"

"You have to," said Killer, though I wasn't even talking to him, "We don't need an admiral coming."

I turned to the first mate with a small glare at the fact that he had spoke when I was talking to Kidd, but my attention was taken back to the stairs where Charlos was very satisfied with his "accomplishment".

"That bastard…" I mumbled while watching Charlos dance around in a victory way and saying things like "You can't get away from me" and all. It made me sick to be witnessing this, but there wasn't much I could do since Killer had told me to stay back and not cause a scene.

But I didn't have to, as Luffy started back up the stairs with a look of intent to kill in his eyes. He seem positively vengeful as he stepped the stairs actually somehow casually. Charlos though didn't get the message as he still held out his gun once more and had it positioned to hit the second highest Supernova straight on.

"Do you not see me?" he asked, as if Luffy didn't really notice who he was.

"He wouldn't dare…" I muttered while closely watching this whole thing unfold. He couldn't be as idiotic as to strike a Celestial Dragon… would he?

"Is he for real?" Kidd had said in accordance to my sentence with a look just as curious as my own.

"You are also pissing me off!" the Dragon roared while bring the barrel of the gun up a bit higher as Luffy walked up the steps, in a way, casually getting closer and closer to the assaulter.

Two shots were fired from the weapon and he, somehow, was able to evade both and kept on at a steady pace and then, the next thing that I knew, the captain's fist was implanted square in the middle of Charlos's face and he went flying through rows of seats and all in a matter of seconds. Everything went quiet as the dust cloud of stuff that had been loosened up faded and the noble lie there with no signs of getting back up.

Stretching almost to its full length, my mouth was wide open as I stared at Charlos who had just been damaged in physical appearance and in his pride by the anger filled punch dealt by Monkey D. Luffy. With eyes wide and brain trying to process this whole thing, my mouth spoke the first phrase that came to the front of my mind…

"He's fucking insane…!" I said with an energized, yet hushed voice. Okay, I loathe the Celestial Dragons as much as the next person, but not even I, with my utter hatred of them, would ever dare to lay a hand on them!

Then Eustass, along with Killer, bent forward a bit as my statement reached their ears and snickers slipped through their teeth. As it seemed, my words were very amusing to the both of them, but could you blame me? He was! Luffy seriously was! And as things progressed, everything started happening very quickly.

People rushed out of their seats, yelling and freaking out as Charlos's father stood from his seat and, out of anger, began to shoot at Luffy who stood there motionless, not even bothering to move from the bullets that never even hit their wanted target and then the smoking blonde attacked not only the elder, but the two guards that came after him as well. Every person from that crew that was here was doing what they could to beat down all of the enemies that just seemed to keep coming with Luffy and his stretching limbs, Zoro slashing through anyone who came his way, Sanji, the smoking blonde, kicking anyone and everyone he knew was not a friend, Nami and her weird, staff like thing that produced a cloud of some sort, Franky with his modified body firing, punching, and flame throwing at each person he had within his reach, and not long after Roswald had clearly ordered for an admiral to be summoned, two other Flying Fish-Riders arrived with the notorious Nico Robin gently flying down with a pair of wings made from arms and then snapping the necks of two opponents that had been waiting for her and a… living skeleton who used a cane sword to fight? Okay… this crew has some of the weirdest people ever… but there was one person left who came plunging down from the hole in the ceiling and slammed straight into the back of Roswald's skull forcing him to fall forward.

Everything had gone into chaos and well, I just had to be here when it was going on. So many things had happened today in such a small amount of time. I had almost been blown up by a wall being busted out thanks to Kidd and Apoo, I was captured and sold as a slave to Eustass, and now, I was witnessing the beating of the Celestial Dragons. Wonderful…

"Kidd!" I said while turning to him. I knew that getting out of here would be a pain since the Dragons had just been assaulted. "Please tell me you have a plan as to how we can get out of here without causing more trouble!"

His smile was wide as he looked down to me and he shook his head a bit.

"There's no other way than to cause more trouble," he replied with a very unfazed tone, "You're going to need to learn that if you ever want to be successful as a pirate, Kali."

I leaned back a bit. How did he know I wanted that? I wasn't that obvious about wanting to go along with being apart of his crew, was I? And also… He actually knows my name! He knows who I am! I was practically dancing around on the inside at the fact that he knew who I was, but, even though it took all I could, my outer shell kept its surprised look and nothing more. And as his grin got wider, I jumped as yet another shot rang through the air.

Everyone's attention went to the stage where Shalulia stood on a stool, gun pointed at the mermaid in the now sliced open tank and Disco lying on the stage floor with a shot wound. The muscles in my body tensed in utter suspense as the female Dragon held the weapon outstretched in front of her, threatening the mermaid, Caimie. I gulped hard as she spoke on.

"I will not hesitate!" she snapped while cocking the gun and a sinister smile crawled up onto her features, "You will die."

Out of having a weak stomach for the ending of an innocent life, I twisted around and held onto the fabric while I buried my face in the sleeve of Kidd's dark brown jacket. The old saying "Out of sight, out of mind" came to me as I did and I felt his body move, most likely because of the fact that it was an out of nowhere reaction. I wasn't able to handle a weapon being poised to strike someone who didn't deserve it and I started to tremble, waiting to hear the gun pop loudly, but all that was heard was the sound of a body falling to the floor along with the clinking of the gun bouncing to a stop.

The sound of someone speaking reached my ear drums and I became curious as to who would be chatting at a time like this, but I didn't remove face from the comfort of Eustass's jacket. I didn't want to turn and see that something bad had just ensued or at least not yet I didn't, but once I chose to something odd happened.

Just as I started to pull away from his arm to observe what was going on, an invisible force collided with my being. It swept through me, making it feel as though my heart had stopped in mid beat. Kidd looked over to me as I regained myself from the sensation. That was really weird. I had no idea what it was, but that was probably one of the oddest things I had ever felt in my entire life so far. It felt like a shockwave of some sort, but… it was different and as I turned completely, my vision beheld a very interesting sight.

Every single enemy had fallen. Many were slung back over the backs of the seats or were lying over them motionless and Shalulia was no different. She was sprawled out on the stage, apparently having gone backwards off the step ladder she was on previously and took it with her and there was one other person there along with the mermaid and the unconscious Dragon. A very familiar person…

"This guy…" Kidd muttered while listening to the new man on the stage, his head positioned downwards a bit.

"Is Ray-san…" I finished while staring with an astonished expression and then suddenly he waved to me with a smile after saying something to Luffy, somehow able to recognize me even from this far away.

"Ah! Kali-chan!" he sung, his glasses getting a bright glare from the stage lights, "I told you someone was waiting for you to come out!"

I laughed lightly in return while nodding my head. Yeah… He had known what he was talking about.


	6. Free at Last

I sighed as Kidd, Law, and Luffy exited out of the front doors. Yet another scene was about to be caused because of this one and this stupid collar was still locked around my neck with the chain in Killer's possession, and I was incredibly ready for it to be off, but all of the keys were away from me and I wasn't exactly comfortable with asking for something of the crew quite yet.

"Kali," Rayleigh called out while hiking the merman, Hacchi, onto his back, "Come here for a minute."

Looking from him with wondering eyes to looking at Killer, I inaudibly asked for him to allow me to go and he did. He let go of the chain suddenly, causing me to fall forward as it pulled me down towards the ground. I hadn't thought it was that heavy, but I was quickly proven wrong since I fell flat on my face.

A growl escaped my chest as I pushed myself up onto my feet. Was it seriously necessary for him to cause me to go to the floor? I didn't think so as I dragged the chain leash along with me over to the old man.

"What's up, Ray-san?" I asked, stopping on a step just a few away from him.

He smiled a bit and held his hand in front of the metal thing.

"I was right, wasn't I," he said sweetly, curling his fingers slightly. I nodded affirmatively, not wanting to stop watching him and his very small movements as he studied the collar, preparing himself to do what he had with Caimie's. "You're lucky," he told me, his smile getting wider, "You'll be taken good care of with this crew."

A sliver of a smile came up onto my features as he spoke that to me. He was trying to get me to relax without telling me it. How nice! Not to mention, he was actually saying what he knew was true and that he was right about the fact that I would be bought by someone who didn't think of me as a slave and so, I did just what he was asking of me. I mean, why not? The sooner I did, the sooner this thing would be off and I would be, in a way, free.

And then, the high pitched ticking started up. The ping was at a slow tempo when it begun, but it quickly sped up. I couldn't help, but tense the muscles in my neck. A voice in the back of my head told me that it would explode and that would be the end of it. That Ray-san wouldn't stop it in time and apparently, he picked up on it.

"Don't worry, Kali-chan," he said hurriedly as his pupils narrowed at the collar, "Everything will be just–"

_!BOOM!_

Smoke rushed up around my head as it exploded. All I could smell was the fumes from the blast that engulfed my cranium completely. A flash back of earlier when I had gotten caught in the blast of Kidd and Apoo's fight came back to me, but I was pulled back out of it when the feeling of my shoulders being much lighter than before reached my senses and a pair of hands gripped my shoulders and moved me out of the now fading cloud.

"Fine," Rayleigh finished as his smile was now wide and very kind.

I laughed lightly while I moved my arm up to feel around the circumference of my neck, feeling wonderful that it had been removed. Yes! I now didn't feel like some type of dog being tugged around, though I knew that I wasn't released from the Kidd Pirates care, but at least I didn't have a collar. That made it all the better, but my happiness was interrupted by the sound of multiple explosions happening simultaneously followed by the crashing of something large into the ground.

We all looked to one another and darted toward the door where the sounds were coming from and once we exited out of the large entrance the sight of the three captains fighting against a swarm of Marines.

"Such a rash bunch of people," Killer said with an unenthusiastic voice, one of which I didn't expect to hear from a pirate.

Staying close to Killer out of wanting a sense of protection, I observed all that had happened and as the grove marker tree fell down onto the ground more of the Marines stood in a very unorganized fashion and just as Kidd had said, they had no strategy at all anymore, but they weren't going to stop and it was a matter of time before another battle ensued…

* * *

_I'm very sorry that this chapter is so short, but from where I'm sitting, I like this being a chapter by itself. And the next chapter will definitely be longer! Promise! I don't know how much longer, but it will be longer. Once again, I'm sorry about the length!!_

_-Love Maruri_


	7. Time to do Something

I stood away from the whole confrontation, where the Strawhat crew, the Heart Pirates, and the Kidd Pirates were dishing out a serious whooping to the Marines troops before them. Each gang of pirates had some weird individuals. Law had his white bear, Bepo, who kicked ass in martial arts, Luffy and his crew… well… That's self explanatory, and Kidd himself just kept amazing me, as well as his crew, though as I hid, hoping that I wouldn't get dragged into this, I didn't notice the group of throwing knives that were headed straight for me.

"Repel!" Kidd screamed out as he slid to a stop in front of me, his arm extended outwards and just as the blades reached a few inches from his palm, they were sent flying back at the people who had thrown them in the first place. "Why don't you do something?"

"I don't fii–AHH!"

He suddenly shoved me, somehow, forward and then he leapt away as a cannon ball slammed into the ground and exploded. My body skidded to a slow halt on the grassy terrain that I had been forcefully thrown on, though I knew it was out of good intentions.

"I can't watch you constantly! Do something!"

"But… But I don't fight!" I replied, but as I went to get back up, I was sent back down after the steel toe of a boot slammed into a nerve right above my knee and I was staring down the barrel of a military weapon.

"Stay down!" this Marine commanded while holding a rifle position to shoot me straight in the head, "Don't even think of moving!"

My eyes narrowed and I growled from low in my chest. Why was he threatening me? What had I done to earn this? Well, I know that I had pretty much come out with the culprits and was doing nothing to get away from them, but come on. I've done nothing wrong. Well… at least not up until now I hadn't, but I was not going to take having a gun held to me!

"Though when you shove a gun in my face," I muttered with acid dripping from my words and my voice gaining volume steadily as I continued, "I'ma beat you to a bloody pulp!"

I jumped onto the balls of my feet even with my leg feeling a bit numb from the earlier kick, easily yanked the rifle out of his grip, and smashed it over the back of his head, sending him to the ground before he knew what happened. Giving a heavy breath, I let my arm fall limply to my side, not letting go of the weapon while scanning everything else that was going on. From where I was standing, every crew was making their getaway, causing all of their opponents to freak out and go after them.

And just as I started to turn my front side back around to face where Kidd had been, a group of three Marines surrounded me, putting me back at gun point and my teeth gritted against each other. Again with this! I clutched the gun with both hands firmly. My intention wasn't to kill them, just knock them out, though I did know that I was probably going to find some kind of government official or something like that on my door step…

One of them charged at me, intending to injure me with the barrel of his own weapon apparently, but before it could even touch my side, I jammed the back end of it straight into his face and then went for the others. Stabbing one directly in the solarplex while slamming the bone in my wrist down onto the sensitive nerve in his neck, making him fall to the ground unconscious and right after, implanting my heels onto the upper part of the other's chest and sent him flying into a nearby tree, I rid myself of all enemies in ways I never thought I would have to do.

My chest heaved as I looked over the damaged I, myself, had done and inferred what I had probably just caused to happen to me.

"Come on!" demanded Eustass from far away.

Once I looked up and found him, he, along with the rest of his crew, was crossing a bridge. I nodded for some reason and obediently ran to catch up, dropping the rifle in the process, but as each step I took continued, I realized how I felt as I consumed the distance between them and me. I was approaching them with a feeling of wanting to continue on with them. I didn't even think of needing to get back to Aki, and tell her that I was okay and that everything was fine since it was WAY past the time I had told her I would be back, but that thought never occurred to me. Then again, I knew that deep down, I didn't want to. It was completely obvious that I would have followed them without a second thought about it and just as I got across the bridge, it fell apart, blocking the Marines that had been following close behind.

"Alright," the captain started while smiling in satisfaction and turning on his boot, "We need to get out of here as soon as possible."

I looked up at him, with my heart and stomach tightening in nervousness of asking about going back to the Balance of Powers, but I reached out and tugged on his jacket sleeve. He gave me his attention as we all kept on.

"Eustass…" I started, unknowingly not letting go of his jacket, "I seriously can't go with you all…"

"You can and you want to, but you won't," he replied while putting his gaze back in front of him, his smile turning to a small sliver and then he twisted his arm, removing my hand from his sleeve, and he turned me around to the path on the side of me. While setting the palm of his hand on my back, he bent down to the side of my face. "That just means you'll forever be in debt."

I was pushed forward then, not roughly, but hard enough to where I was trotting about ten feet away from them to a stop. When I did and turned around to them, each one was standing there with their own individual stance and Kidd nudged his head upwards in a "Get out of here" way and my heart sunk a bit in my chest. He knew I wanted to, as did I, but he was right. I wouldn't. Not at this time, but I would sooner or later.

While I turned my back on them and started to walk back home, Eustass spoke out.

"But when you do finally own up to it, come find us!"

I didn't stop my walking as I took in what he had said and I grinned. I had a… well… crew to go to when I finally found it alright to leave here. Who knows when, where, and how I would find them again, but details, details. The only thing that mattered, was that I now had a pirate crew that I was, in a way unofficially, apart of. That was a wonderful thing to know I had a place to look forward to going to.

'I will. Don't you worry about that…' I replied to him mentally, '_Master Kidd_.'

* * *

_Now... I'm thinking this is where I'm going to start to go off on my own... I think, from my writing out of my idea for the next chapter, it might follow a bit... might. I'm not quite sure, but anyways. Sorry it took so long you guys! I'll do my best to keep them coming!!_

_-Love Maruri_


	8. Finally at Home

I walked casually down an alley way, heading back towards home to relay all of my experiences to Aki, who was probably worried sick about me, but it wasn't exactly my fault that I was going to get back MUCH later than I had initially said and as I kept thinking about that, my mind wandered back to the crew I had just left. I seriously wanted to go with them. It all sounded like an experience of a lifetime, but my thoughts were rudely interrupted…

"Oh God!" I yelped while pulling my hands up over my eyes.

A bright flash of yellow light passed right in front of me and my pupils screamed out in agony at the sudden case of temporary blindness that I had just been given. Lord Almighty that was bright! Not to mention it was quick and it hurt like hell to bring my eyelids back to opening, but not even a few, maybe, milliseconds later an explosion of some sort sounded through the air.

'Seriously?!' I thought to myself while rubbing my eyes and stumbling forward a bit into the open thanks to the wound I had received from that stupid Marine, 'How many different things can happen in one friggin' day?!'

"Oh," came a voice from down the open path, clearly opposite of where the blast ended up, "I have a question for you, miss…"

"O… Okay…" I replied hesitantly, still while rubbing my eyes and turning towards this mysterious person. I didn't really want to talk to this person if I wasn't able to see them. That just seemed sort of rude… but I removed my balled up hands attempted to get my vision to readjust to the now normal light as I heard the individual approach me.

"I'm looking for my subordinate, Sentomaru," this, obviously, man stated, "Would you happen to know where he might be?"

Blinking rapidly, the figure became more visible and once they were completely, I couldn't tell if I was breathing or not.

Admiral Kizaru stood before me in that orange and yellow vertical striped suit with his hands in his pockets and an innocent, questioning look on his face and my muscles shook in fear. I started to twist and the bottom fabric of my shirt in nervousness as I stared blankly at him. Kizaru! Admiral freakin' Kizaru was standing right in front of me and I was scared out of my mind!

"Um… Uh… N-No, A-Ad-Admiral," I stuttered, taking a step back away from him. My thoughts raced with fright as I looked up at him. Screaming that I didn't want to die mentally, I kept my cool as best as I could as he sighed. "I'm sorry that I couldn't be of help."

"Oh… It's fine," he replied while looking in another direction, towards something I clearly didn't notice, but shortly after, he gave his gaze back to me and a small smile. "Thank you anyways. Carry on."

I was stock still in my spot as he went in the direction he had looked in just now. Mother of God! That was scary! Having an Admiral ask you where to find someone, especially someone you honestly had no idea who they were, and replying with a negative answer seemed to paralyze me completely with fear, but as he disappeared down the alley-way my upper body slumped forward from the sudden relaxation of my muscles.

'Alright! That's it! I am not just casually walking these streets anymore until I get home!' I commanded to myself as I took a large lunge into a bounding sprint. So many things in a matter of hours…! A good night sleep was definitely something I wanted.

…

"Ah… ki… I'm… ho… home…" I panted heavily after throwing the entrance to the Balance of Powers open then bending over with my hands on my knees. A smile came onto my face as I heard the frantic and clumsy clicking of the heels of her shoes across the shiny, waxed floor.

"KALI!! Oh my lord, Kali!" she yelled as she stumbled over to me, arms flailing about in a worried, but so glad I was home manner, "You're finally back!!"

Clenching my eyes shut from the pain I was feeling caused by my pounding heart, churning stomach, and migraine, she pulled me to her quickly and clamped her hands together around my shoulders. All my vision looked like at this point was something that a little kid colored in and couldn't stay in the lines, making my head spin even more than it already was, but Aki just couldn't seem to stop saying how glad she was that I was home and how worried she had been and all too loud to actually hear me ask her to help me to the kitchen.

"Aki…" I muttered low, but she kept going. The fourth time that I had to say her name nicely was enough. "Aki…! Please help me get to the kitchen, will ya?!"

She stopped her showering of affection, pulled away from me to look me over, and even I could see the "Oh crap!" expression on her face. Her arm went under my own, guided me into the kitchen slowly to where my tired legs could keep up with her, and she gently set me down in one of the chairs. My chest rose and fell as I slipped down in my chair in a very limp, relaxed position. Man, oh man, did sitting down feel good. Words couldn't describe how wonderful sitting in one of these hard, wooden chairs felt right now.

"Kali," Aki started, getting out of the fridge and bringing out a bottle of a special soda she had made, popping it open, and then setting it right in front me, "Rami came running back here saying that you had been sold off as a slave…" She sat down in the chair across from me, straightening out her skirt as it moved upwards while she went to sit and since I knew what was coming I sat up straight as well and started to chug the drink she had gotten me. "What the hell happened while you were gone?"

As the large gulp I had just taken in ran down my throat, amazingly soothing most of every bit of pain I was feeling and straightening out my vision to where I could see her more clearly, my hand set the glass bottle onto the surface of the table and I gave her a sigh along with a small smile at the fact that she had just said a curse word. It wasn't that she didn't say them; it was just that she didn't say them that often.

"Let me start at the beginning Aki. When I had left the house and headed out I ended up…"


	9. A Gift

_THANK YOU SO INCREDIBLY MUCH!! All of you who review on almost every chapter I have made me beyond happy~! I seriously love to see the thing that's you all leave me. Oh and thank you **Lols. 8D** for saying that "Love you So" describes Kali and once I listened to it, it seriously did!! Anyways I thank each and everyone of you, not only for reading, but for also taking the time to review. And thanks to all of you who read. I really appreciate the support. Though I do apologize for the late recognition..._

_Now... ONTO THE CHAPTER!_

* * *

"My, my, Kali…" Aki muttered after I explained everything in detail of what had happened which actually took about an hour and a half, "You're day has just been hectic hasn't it?"

I nodded to her. She had no idea how hectic it had been. I had been almost taken out by a blown through wall, caught by slave-traders, sold as a slave, gotten into a fight with the Marines, blinded, along with close to being killed, by an Admiral, and in all honesty, I was amazed I was still able to stand, let alone function properly. She gave me a laugh to the expression of "No shit Sherlock" that spread across my face as she stood up and walked over one of the cabinets, opened it, and exposed a large chest.

"I need to know, Kali, if…" my manger started, pulling the chest out slowly with a hint in her voice that she knew something about me that was totally true.

She sighed very heavily while throwing the lid of the trunk up, causing a cloud of dust to cascade off of the top of it and roll as it hit the ground, just as she turned back to face me. A look that said she hated that she was about to utter whatever it was, was within her big blue eyes shimmering against the bright red hair that fell into her face. I couldn't tell what was bothering her. The sheen in her eyes was much to bright for me to read anything in her irises, but she leaned back, not really turning away from me yet doing that and she brought out a small box that was as tall as a regular glass cradled in her hands.

Never had I ever seen inside that box of… mementos, as she called them, from her old days of working for the Government except the one she was holding had a very odd vibe coming from it. Not to mention its look was odd as well.

The box itself was brown with vines coiling around it, along with the top that was on it, and had a very rough, rock texture as she handed it to me with a very reluctant way in giving it. It was as if she didn't really want to give it to me, but something forced her to do so. How peculiar… Anyways, back to the box. There was actually a bow tied around the whole thing, holding it shut and it had the look of a vine as well, having a flower seeming as if it was blooming on it in the shape of a bow and a tag attached to it.

_"Happy Birthday Aki. Hope you'll put it to good use."_

I blinked a bit cluelessly as I stared at the tag then looked up to my red haired friend. What was the point in showing me this exactly?

"Kali… I really need to know if…" She paused while biting her lip lightly after restarting her statement again from earlier. A sigh escaped her mouth as she heaved her chest up, obviously encouraging herself to go and tell me what she wanted to. "From the way that you've describe this… captain who had bought you, as well as how energetic you seemed to be when you did, I just want to know if you really want to go with them."

A large lump formed in my throat. Wanting to, once again scream out "Hell yes!", I held fast to my composure. Leaving was not an option. How many times was I going to have to tell myself that... and others?! As my head started to shake her hand slammed down onto the table suddenly making me jump half way out of my skin. Her blue eyes glared at me with a gaze pleading for me to be truthful with her and not lie on her or anyone else's account. I nodded and my feelings out of nowhere poured from my mouth and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

"God yes, Aki!!" I exclaimed with happiness shining from my eyes and unknowingly my grip on the package got tighter, "You have no idea! They all seem so exciting that I can't stand it. Leaving them was probably one of the hardest things I've ever done…!" She gave an understanding and approving nod, yet I was still confused as to the box I had just about crushed in my hand. "But what does that have to do with this?"

"Well, that was given to me as birthday slash going away present on my last day as a World Government worker and I… I want you to have it…"

Still confused, I looked back down at the package, grabbed the leaf sticking out from underneath the flower, and pulled it, causing the covering of the gift box to be sent flying off by whatever was in it. I froze in my wooden chair, afraid of what was in it now. A lot had come flying at me through out the day so it's no wonder I would just a little bit freaked out when it came off.

Putting my temporary fear of things flying at me aside, I looked inside, not really wanting Aki to feel hurt because I didn't and to my utter surprise, a dark, forest green apple sat within. How an apple, or any fruit for that matter, could throw off the lid of anything was way beyond me, but as I pulled it out, realization that it was no ordinary apple struck.

The supernatural waves it radiated was clearly obvious as they began to pulse through my veins in rhythm with my beating heart and along with the weirdness of the vibes, it was, as said before, a dark green with black squiggle like lines seemingly carved into its outside peel. It was quite a weird looking apple and the beautiful gleam and glare it gave off told me exactly what it was.

"It's a…"

"A devil fruit," she said, finishing my sentence for me with a smile and her eyes sparkling just a bit as she stared at it as well, "Yes. It is called the Terra Terra no Mi."

Leaning back from it in suspicion, I gazed at it with a cautious look playing from my eyes. The feeling it gave off was not one that I was fond of. It made itself seem like it was harmful and would poison me if I dare take a bite like the apple in Snow White, which that assumption wasn't completely out of my thinking yet. My mind, no matter what, was extremely questioning of this devil fruit, but along with my wondering about how safe it really was, I also started asking inwardly about why she would give this valuable item to me instead of selling it and being able to pay for the repairs to some of the damaged spots of this old building or upgrade the musical stuff that we had that was heaven knows how old…

"Because I had a feeling that I'd need it one day for something," Aki said. A grin came to her face as I looked up at her quickly with a look of "You read my mind!" type of expression. "Now, though I'm not forcing that apple on you," she began in a low voice as to not alert the "sleeping" (-cough- -cough- eavesdropping!) staff while she walked back over to the fridge and started to prepare a glass of water for me most likely. If there was anything she did to signal something, it was that. That was, for anyone, a hint that they needed to head on to their rooms and soon after, their bed.

"Alright. Alright, Aki," I said, taking the hint as I usually do and standing up from my chair and pushing it back into place while taking the now full glass from her with the apple back in the box and the box in hand, "Thanks and I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Hey, I wasn't done yet, Kali," she said with a bit of a stern tone as soon as I turned around and started off to my room in the back. I stopped with a smile on my features, except I had hoped I have been able to avoid anything else, and moved back around to give her my full attention. "As I said, though I am not forcing that little jewel on you, I am giving you a choice because I know you want to go…" She gave another pause as she gave her gaze to the floor, willing herself to continue. "Go on and leave with the abilities that that fruit can give you or don't eat the apple and go just like you are or… don't leave at all."

My heart rate slowed when I looked straight into her eyes. She was completely serious about the options. By knowing me for so long, she was able to read me like an open book with freakishly huge text. She knew and had always known, about my want and yearn for being on the ocean. It wasn't because I wanted the infamous pirate treasure, One Piece, no. I just craved to wake up every morning with the true, salty sea air there to greet me along with a crew with a lot of, or even just a few, people who really did want me there.

And I figured the Kidd Pirates did since they had defended me like they had.

"Think about what you really want to do, Kal," Aki said while quite suddenly skipping up to me, spinning me about face, putting the palms of her hands on my back, and then pushing me forward down the hall, "And sleep well~!"

After stumbling about half way down the hall, hearing and watching the doors of the supposedly sleeping staff shut, I looked back over my shoulder at that red haired woman heading to her own room. Again, a smile came to me.

"_'Think about what you really want' _she says…"

Turning the door handle of my room, the apple started to "call" out to me. The power it had, again, started pulsing through my veins. What was I going to do? Should I eat it? Would it be a good choice to consume a devil fruit and be cast out from the sea, never to be able to swim ever again?

"Ahhh!" I screamed out while throwing the box onto my bed, making the top fall off again and the apple roll out onto the comforter and then setting my glass of water on my bedside table, "I'm going to go take a shower…"

…

While pulling my bathroom door open and roughly dragging the towel over my damp auburn hair, I looked to my bed and the fruit seemed to glow on my comforter. A growl escaped my chest in frustration. What in the world was I going to do?! Being unable to swim did not seem like a fun thing, especially when, if I choose to, I'd be out on the sea, but… I guess if Kidd and every other Supernova who had a devil fruit ability could do then I probably could… Oh! This is so confusing…

"I've heard they taste horrible…" I muttered while putting the fruit back in my grasp, "But would the ability I get be worth it? Do I really want to…"


	10. I Actually Ate It?

"Wake up, Kali!" called out Aki's voice as I started to some into consciousness.

I groaned as my eyes started to open and adjust to the low light in my room. My stomach lightly growled in discomfort from what had happened late last night. That apple was the most disgusting thing that ever went down my throat and it wasn't just nasty at first. No. It was nasty the whole way through, from the first bite to the last. Of course I had heard that all you needed to do was eat just one bite and you'd gain whatever power the fruit has, but... I wasn't quite sure that was true since so many rumors had gone around...

Again, I gave a groan as the red head pushed the door open and made her way over to my bed side. Even though she knew I wasn't in the mood to be pestered, she sat right next to my abdomen and sent a smile to me.

"You ate it, didn't you?" she asked. Nodding my head, making her smile get wider and more satisfied looking, I glanced over to the clock on my bedside table and saw that it was 10:30 am. Wait…

10:30?! I had slept in past the morning show!

I sat up quite suddenly while flinching at the abrupt pain in my upper stomach. Sweat ran down my forehead as I frantically tried to make it out of my comforter that was now practically tied around me from my tossing and turning during the night, but Aki grabbed my shoulders and forcefully laid me back down onto the mattress. Her eyes sparkled with amusement at my work ethic and with worry at the thought that the devil fruit had done something to me that caused me to act like this.

"Kali," she said in a calm voice while holding me down, "Settle down. There's no reason for you to freak out so much."

"But… But…" I was so out of breath after just sending my body into a frenzy. Working was really all I had to keep myself entertained most of the time and sleeping in on a work day was just not tolerated by me and my working mind. At times, it was kind of like committing murder in my perspective, just… not as serious and not deserving of being sent to jail for.

"No 'buts'. Now…" she turned her head over to look at wide open back pack seated in front of my dresser, "What are you going to do, Kali?"

Blinking a bit to see her more clearly, my mind started to wake up and my heart started to race. I'm being given the chance to leave and go out with some one… um… I mean people that I'm fascinated with and fond of! And knowing Aki, she wants me to go as well. She knows me all too well and my entire expression softened when she asked again "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to go with them, Aki," I replied with a sweet smile, "Since you're intentionally pushing me to leave too, I'm starting to think that it's time that I head out..." Looking into those blue eyes of hers, they glazed over with sadness and happiness of course, at the fact that I had finally accepted that I really did want leave with them and not spend my entire life living here.

She got up from my bedside, allowing me to sit up in my own bed and she slid her fingers through my bed-head hair. In her mind, I had probably come to my decision much more quickly than she had anticipated, especially the one about deciding to eat that God damned apple… but both her and I knew that Kidd and his crew wouldn't wait forever and that meant I had very limited time to make my choice.

"Write often," said Aki from my now slightly closed door as she exited, watching me go over to the dresser and pick out the clothes I would wear today and the garments I would take with me, "I'll tell everyone after you've left..."

I nodded to her as she gave me a sad smile and then shut my door.

"Is she finally up?!" Rami asked her, after he most likely just woke up himself.

"Yeah, she's up."

A sad smile came onto my face as well as I brought out my clothes and laid them on my bed and then going on to throwing some other pieces of clothing I wanted to bring with me into the backpack. As it seemed, I would leave here without saying goodbye to every one. Ah, I guess it would be best seeing that they probably wouldn't be very happy knowing that I was leaving to join a pirate crew. And Kidd's crew no less.

"Oh well…" I sighed to myself while slinging my clothes for the day over my forearms and heading to the bathroom, "They'd probably make me stay anyways…"

…

Looking at myself in my tall wall mirror, I smiled at the outfit I had picked out. As always, I wore the colors I tended to lean to most of the time: gold, white, and black. Though this time the gold was more of a metallic to where it didn't shine so much under the light.

The metallic gold tank placed over the white muscle shirt under it hung a bit loosely on my frame, but it was very comfortable. M favorite pair of black jean like material pants also hung loosely on my hips and flared slightly near the ends where they covered part of the tops of my white running shoes. Wearing them was just a bit of a precaution in case I run into anyone I couldn't afford to.

"Time to head out…" I said to myself, looking at my reflection while slinging my back pack over my shoulders. It actually did hurt me a little to stare at who I was in the mirror. It seemed that who I was right now was the only thing I would have left of myself from when I was here.

I shook my head telling myself 'You'll be back!', though I wasn't sure I would…

"Doesn't matter now, Kali!" I said in a commanding tone, "You've made your decision so go!"

Nodding affirmatively to my inner self, I went to my bedroom door, twisted the handle, opened the door confidently, and after giving one last look to my home, I made my way to the entrance of the Balance of Powers. It's kinda funny how I just talked myself into leaving, isn't it?


	11. The Ability

**_SPECIAL THANKS TO:_**

_Kisdota for helping me with Kali's ability. It seriously appreciate the help~!_

_And always thanks to all of my readers and reviewers. Seeing all of the support is wonderful!! And ideas for the next chapter and further on ones would be beyond appreciated as well!_

_NOW ONTO THE CHAPTER!!_

* * *

Stumbling, falling, and tripping over almost everything in my path as I ran away from Marines who obviously remembered me from yesterday, I desperately made my way to where Kidd and his crew had supposedly been seen last. It was getting hard though since everywhere I turned armed subjects of the Marines were there waiting for me. "After her!" they ended up screaming before lunging after me, making me sprint off in yet another direction. It seemed like they knew where I was going and planning on going…

'They're going to end up corneri– and speak of the devil…'

And just as I finished, men of many different sizes surrounded me while holding there weapons out towards me in threatening manners.

"Don't move! You've already made things bad for you for running with the Kidd pirates during yesterday's incident!" screamed one of the agents, who had his katana pointing the tip right at my abdomen.

"Come on…" I said lowering my arms in a submissive position as to show them that I wasn't a threat, "I didn't want to hurt anyon–"

"I said don't move!" he yelled. Suddenly he ran towards me. "You're coming with us!"

I gasped as he neared me, somehow in slow-motion with the blade of his sword rushing at me. My mind made up its mind quicker than I thought it could. I wasn't getting out of this. No talking my way out of it. No being nice and kindly going with them. I was going to have to be injured in the end if I wanted to make it out of here in one piece so I flinched while bringing my hands up to my face to where I wouldn't see the sharper than a kitchen knife sword being inserted through my stomach and braced myself for the pain I was going to feel, but all I sensed was the sound of something screeching across a hard surface and then shattering.

"Oh my God!" said another one of the men with clear fear in his voice, "She's a devil fruit user!"

Hearing that I removed the palms of my hands from my eyes slowly only to see that the Marine's weapon had been broken and was in multiple pieces on the ground. My eyes widened incredibly at the sight of what had caused it to break like it had.

From the bottom of my chest to the beginning of my waist was complete stone! It had turned into a rock! Holy crap!! That's what that apple did to me. So… not only do I sink like a rock in water, I'm a literal one as well. Wonderful, but before I could worry about all of the things I could complain about with this ability, the man lunged at me in frustration and anger. Apparently it didn't really make him very happy to get his katana busted by someone. And a woman no less.

"You freak! Stay still!" he said, his voice trembling with his over flowing emotions, though it didn't really make me very happy to hear someone call me a freak just because I had devil fruit ability. It's not exactly a nice thing to hear someone call you, but I was much too scared of the ability and him, to really bank on the insult that I did take offense to since he came at me with such fury pouring from him.

Bring my arms back up to protect my head; I felt the subtle transformation of the forearms up to the middle of my bicep morph into stone as well. What an odd feeling it was to have your body transform into solid rock, but that wasn't the only thing I felt. The sensation of the rock suddenly rushing outwards and the sound of something ripping through fabric and jabbing through flesh became distinctly clear to me.

Again I opened up my eyes only to see that rough and intimidating stone spikes had just protruded through my now rock like skin and stabbed right through the arm of the Marine who has just rushed at me.

The spikes, letting go of the Marine causing him to stumble back in pain and have his buddies go to his aide, returned to my arm. I shivered at the very freakish feeling of them morphing back into me. It actually felt like having to get blood drawn only it felt like it was the other way around; like they were putting the blood back into you instead. Of course, I paid attention to the Marine I had just wounded since I didn't exactly mean to hurt him like I had. It wasn't exactly my intention to shank him in the arm three times, but that attack was subconscious… I think.

"Umm…" I hesitated as I watched them hurriedly put pressure on the injuries, completely forgetting about me. I just stared honestly. Having a guilty feeling in my stomach, I stared and then… THE HELL WAS I STANDING THERE FOR?! This was no time to feel upset for causing unintentional injuries. Not to mention… "He's the one who rushed at me…" I muttered to myself and then turning into a fast-paced sprint right past them.

"HEY!" one of the helping Marines screamed, "Someone go after her!!"

I sped up my pace as I listened to them all try and scramble to their feet to catch up with me, but as it appeared I was just too fast for them now or at least for them I was since once again, I turned a corner and there was another large group of them waiting for me. That was just wonderful, except I had totally forgotten that I was blessed to have made friends with one of the most amazing Supernova's ever.

The sound of techno like music reached my ears and as I looked behind me, Scratchmen Apoo was standing in the entrance I had just turned down.

My eyes sparkled as he played those piano key teeth of his. Again he came to my rescue though this time I hadn't gotten caught in a confrontation because I was walking and writing… That was embarrassing, but that's beside the point. He came to help me, though how he knew I was here I didn't know, yet my mind didn't exactly care about that answer. I was just happy he was there. I knew I hadn't figured out the first thing on how to control this ability, let alone how to get it to do what it had.

"Tatakau Music!" he said and then pressing down on the top of his head, smashing both of his jaws together, the sound of symbols hitting together echoed from him and the sound of blood spurting from some of the Marines caught my attention. He then ran up in front of me, beat his chest about two or three times and a large explosion just sounded off in the middle of the crowd of opponents making them frantic on how to battle such a Supernova without a captain there to guide them. "You didn't tell me you had a devil fruit ability," Scratchmen said, shielding me from any harm.

"I only ate the friggin' fruit yesterday!" I stated quickly looking for a way out, "But that's beside the point! I need to get away from here soon, Apoo!"

"Don't worry," he told me in a very relaxed tone, looking back at me and giving me a piano keyed smile, "I know exactly where you're headed." Again, he beat on his chest and another explosion ensued in the same place. "Come on!" He grabbed my wrist then in his own and charged through the starting to fade smoke cloud, "I'll hold them off. You just get back to your captain."

I gulped, but nodded, quickly going back to running, but I was soon to stop when he called my name and looked back at him with a wondering expression. What could it be now? He had his hands full with those damned Marines. There was no reason to be worried about me now! Yet his smile put me at ease as well as made me curious about what was going through his mind.

"I'll see you in the New World."

Giving him an affirmative, friendly nod this time, I took off, moving myself as fast as I could, wanting to get to my newest home as soon as I could.

…

"Repel!" came Kidd's rough voice as I slid down a large platform watching him send weapons of all different sorts back at his enemies.

All throughout my little "jog" from when I left Scratchmen to now, I had been doing all I could to see what I could do with my new rock abilities without destroying something. I had figured out how to turn myself somewhat into solid stone, but not completely. So far, all I had gotten to be able to do was morph my arms fully and part of my upper chest, but that was it.

"It's about time you showed up," he said, turning on his heel and heading up the gang plank of his large, very impressive ship, "Hurry your ass up. We haven't got all day."

I was completely amazed at the way he was speaking, but somehow a friendly like grin was on his face as he did. A grin of my own crawled onto my features as I was quick to follow his lead, but I was thrown off a bit…

"How did you know I was coming, Kidd?" I asked while catching up to his side.

"How could I not know would be the better question," he countered, his boots echoing on the floor boards below them, "It was obvious; your wanting for the sea." He looked back over to me while motioning to the almost completely male crew of his. "And this is now your family."

A sinister smile came to him as Killer walked up to me, holding up his blades to my neck. Though frozen in my spot, I was amazingly not afraid as he said "Let's see if what we heard was true" and he pulled the blade away but was soon to send it right back to where it was, but in a much more threatening manner.

My eyes closed as I waited patiently for the blade to collide with my neck. I guess this was a test or something… Or maybe the news of my ability had gotten around… and then an ear splitting noise of metal running against rock shattered my patient exterior, not to mention my ear drums. Opening my eyes again, I saw that my neck had turned to rock just like my abdomen and arms had in my earlier fight.

"You never told us you had a devil fruit ability," said Kidd from between the zombie man and some other one of his crewmates.

My hands completely fell to my sides as Killer moved from my side back over to Kidd. Along with my hands descending, so did my expression. How many times was I going to have to tell people this?

"I only ate the God damned fruit yesterday!!"

"Well then, enough about this. Let's se–"

"Don't let them leave this island!" yelled out a Marine captain from the side of the ship.

I started to growl as I turned back around to face the oncoming officials. How many of them were there and how many times would it take before they realized just to stay down. They were like a back penny always coming back…

Out of anger and frustration, I stamped my foot down on the deck and unknowingly up from my foot to the middle of my calf shifted and went straight through the top layer of the deck. When I looked down, sweat started to form on my face as I blushed at the fact that I wasn't able to control this ability very well at all and how I was going to finally get control over it I had no idea, but laughter came from behind me, causing my face to become even brighter.

"Don't worry yourself over it, Kali," came Kidd's rough voice that had a chuckle reverberating off each word as he grabbed my thigh and pulled my still literally rock hard leg out of the ship's wound, "You'll get control over it."

As I watched it morph back, the sound of Killer's spinning blades screeching split the air while he jumped in front of me and sliced through about five Marines simultaneously forcing the rest of them to fall back.

"You," demanded Killer, "looking" back at me and motioning me forward as he moved back behind me now, "Break the gang plank!"

My eyes widened a bit.

"But… I-I don't know how to–"

"Just go!" he commanded, pushing me forward to the edge where the deck and the gang plank met.

I looked down at it and my heart was set on fire as I stared at it and listened to the sound of the approaching Marines. Closing my eyes I focused on my leg, hoping that it would morph and for once on my own command it did. Smiling when I felt the very odd sensation of my own self becoming rock, I lifted up my leg and slammed my foot right through the wooden gang plank, shattering and splintering the wood as I did.

Kidd's crew burst out in mocking laughter as the annoying pests fell to the water below them while the ship started to move and I looked to Kidd for approval of some type and what I got was a very satisfied smirk from him as he turned to the large crowd behind him.

"Everyone…" he said, scanning his eyes over each person keeping the smile on his face as I approached his side, "This is Kali." The smirk became wider. "Make sure you make her feel welcome."


	12. A Criminal

Wet. Soaking wet was what I was as I stood under the water, breathing heavily. All of my other "nakama" were underneath some type of protection from the down pour except me and my, I think, fourteenth opponent. I had been doing pretty well after just a week of this crap. Practicing everyday for about three hours has really helped me get a hold of my powers and I think the people here are finally starting to realize that I'm not as weak and fragile as I might seem.

Charging at the zombie dude, I fully formed letting my body become complete rock, but another thing that I was practicing… Getting used to my weight and not breaking through the deck. Running was a challenge since my legs were weighed down when I did morph and of course the incident when I first got on here didn't really help much, though I threw my body upwards at him, even when flame spewed from his mouth. It was hot, I will admit, but it didn't affect me one bit as I came crashing down on him with a punch.

As he skidded on the wood to a stop, I stood straight and went to my normal drenched self, my auburn hair sticking to my face that was being bombarded by huge raindrops. I rubbed my eyes as the sound of applauding reached my ears. Luckily it was raining to where it was hard to tell if I was crying or not. The sound of applause brought back Aki and the Balance of Powers to me…

"Very nice, Kali," came Kidd's voice from behind me, "I'm very impressed. You're _actually_getting control over your ability."

I stopped suddenly. "Actually"?

Turning around to him, my hands went to my hips and my expression sank beyond reason on my face.

_"'Actually'?"_ I repeated while leaning forward some. It seemed that he didn't think I would be able to… "What the hell do you mean by 'actual–"

Suddenly, a fist collided with my cheek bone and sent me straight onto the slippery wooden boards below. I skidded and rolled until I hit the railing of the ship with a loud thump as the bars roughly caught me. Laughter was this time.

My body ached and cried out in pain from the hard collision of both the fist of my thought to be done-and-out-for-the-count opponent and from the railing bars that jabbed me in the back.

Looking up to Kidd, I saw a smirk on his face as he shook his head. It burned me on the inside to have him think so little of me, but I knew I was just starting out. Not to mention, I just couldn't seem to stay angry at him for very long. Why is actually a good question, but I don't have the answer for it yet…

"You let your guard down, Kali," my captain said while turning around and heading for the dining "hall" since it was about supper time. And as always, he had that certain snide tone in his voice as he critiqued me… "You'll get killed before you even know what to do if you happen to do that."

I sighed. Only a week and I've been beaten up Heaven knows how many times and he was right. I've only started to get control over it…

"Come, Kali," said the undead like man as he headed into the sleeping quarters of this large ship, "You need to get dried off and into new clothes."

That's when I came back to knowing that I was soaked to the bone and I followed him close behind. As I dug through my backpack, pulling out some dry clothes that had been recently washed, he threw a dark towel at me, making it go over my head and was quick to push me into the near by bathroom.

"Make your change quick," he told me from outside the bathroom door, "Or you might not get any food."

I sighed while looking in the mirror. My face had become considerably pale from the cold rain. That storm had just suddenly popped up while I was "training" and well… it was freakishly cold honestly, though as I stared at my reflection, I thought back to Aki and Rami once again, the long term, unofficial couple of the Balance of Powers. Rolling the towel over my hair I started talking to myself.

"Ahh… Aki, sometimes I begin to feel very homesick…" I muttered while I peeled off my over shirt, "But then again… I guess this is home now and I have some…" I paused. For some reason I didn't want to say the word I wanted. "_Something_ I want to go for."

…

The dining hall was loud as it had been every night and every other time of the day like every other day of this week. It's been enjoyable; don't get me wrong, and the food, OH! it was good, but it made me miss Aki's somewhat terrible home-cooking and all I could seem to do was play with the food that was on my plate.

"Hey Kali!" screamed out a crewmate of mine who came and took the place of someone who had apparently stood up and left the seat in front of me, "You seriously made a rookie mistake!"

He laughed at me while slamming his hand on the table lightly and my eyes narrowed. Twisting the fork I had in my hand, I stabbed it into the surface of the table and smirked when he stopped his laughing to look at me.

"Why don't you go fall in ditch, ya lazy bastard," I hissed with a smug smile. His ice blue eyes widened at the insult I had just sent his way. He always seemed to sleep most of the time instead of working and actually I hadn't even gone up against him when I've trained so I honestly don't know how good he is, but the expression he had was priceless to me. "That's right, Levi. I went there."

Being quite the skinny man, he was younger than I, only by two years, but he had much more experience on this ship and with this crew than me. His eyes were icy blue with a touch of dark blue around his pupils. His hair was, oddly, a snowy white color and was quite long even when put up in that high pony tail of his. His build was as stated before skinny but you could tell from the bit of his chest that was exposed by his male kimono top that he had muscle on those bones of his. Along with that the skin he had was a pale tone of white which showed the dragon tattoo circling his body very well, causing it to pop out on his skin.

"I see you went there…" he muttered while standing slightly from his seat on the bench and leaning in towards me. Taking my chin in his index finger and thumb and letting it rest on his middle finger, he said while looking my form over quite slowly, "And I'd like to go somewhere else."

Eyes widening I grabbed his wrist and threw it away from my face while shoving my hand right into his forehead, forcing him back into his seat. I growled at him as I felt my face heat up.

"Leviathan! You freakin' perv!" I barked while rubbing my chin, attempting to get the feeling of his hand on my face away from me.

He started to laugh once again, showing his freakishly white teeth, which looked like they were close to being a foggy transparent color, until Killer came up behind him and smacked the perverted ninja like man upside the head.

"Oww… The hell was that for Killer?" he asked, turned around and looking at the helmet wearing man.

"Stop sexually harassing her," he demanded while tossing a fruit in his hand, "And Kali, if you aren't going to eat much more than you already have than eat this." He held out a green apple to me. "We don't need you passing out from lack of nutrition."

I smiled slightly at the gesture and at the fact that he actually did care, but as I stared at the fruit I seemed to freeze.

Apple…

Green…

Nasty…

The next thing I knew was the very terrible taste that started to work it's way up my throat and onto my tongue and my hand was quick to go to my mouth.

"Oh… OH GOD!" came my muffled scream as I quickly stood from my seat and quickly bounded to a trash can as fast as I could.

As I practically puked out my stomach, I thought about that weird reaction that I had just gotten. It was just an apple… A regular green app… Then it struck me as I ended up throwing up some more after the Terra Terra no Mi appeared in my mind. THAT APPLE! Seeing a green apple must have triggered the horrific memory(taste) of that fruit and well… caused me to want to throw up my insides…

"Kali? What's the matter?" asked Levi as he walked up to me and put one of his arms around my shoulders. Even though he's constantly harassed me since I got here, he's actually been my closest friend so far.

Coughing into the trash can, I wiped my mouth off while standing straight and looking to Killer, doing all I could not to look at the fruit in his hand.

"Please… I'll eat all that is on my plate if you just put that thing away…" I pleaded, my voice shaking from the surprise gagging.

I could tell that Killer was quite confused as to why I had just reacted like that, but he walked back over to where his captain sat. Levi helped me back to my seat, unsure if I was actually going to be alright and I was honestly unsure if I was going to be alright as well… I wasn't ready for my body to give a reaction like that, but the whole incident was shoved away when yet another crew member of Kidd's threw open the dining hall's door holding up a newspaper.

"Captain! Captain!" he yelled over and over.

"What is it?" Eustass growled lightly, not exactly happy about the fact that someone was coming in and interrupting his meal.

"Look!" he said while handing the newspaper over to him.

I stood up from my seat, pushing down the wobbly feeling in my legs, very curious about what the heck had made that man go so crazy and as I did stand, I watched Kidd flip through the pages of the paper and a loose piece of paper slid out from the middle of the whole thing.

A large grin crawled onto his features as he held the paper up to his face.

"Kali!" he called, motioning me over to him, "Get over here." Nodding my head affirmatively, I made my way to his side and what I saw made my jaw practically drop to the floor. "Seems you're finally a known pirate."

…

"Ooo~!" the red head cooed as she watched her companion put up the newly framed picture up on the wall. As he came back to her side her arms went around his neck as his went around her waist and she planted a sweet kiss onto his cheek. "Aren't you just incredibly proud of her, Rami?"

The gold eyed, dark haired, tan skinned young man looked to his red haired, blue eyed other and smiled to her.

"How can I not be? She's talked about being out on the sea since she was small…" he replied with a small smile while looking back at the poster.

There was Kali in the middle of the "Wanted" poster, smashing the gang plank of her new nakama's ship in an attempt to get away from the Marines that were most likely chasing after them. Even though her bounty wasn't that high, it was impressive to see that a girl like her had a 10,000 belli bounty on her head.

"Though it's kinda funny, Rami…" Aki told him while looking at the picture with an amused expression.

"And what is that?" he asked, pulling her closer to him and getting her to look at him in the eyes.

"We're proud of her being a criminal."


End file.
